#95: How In-Person Events Build Community

About This Episode

Hosting an event is easy. Building a community that people return to month after month is much harder. In this episode of Workfluencer, Rhona sits down with Chasselle Gazelle, founder of Jacksonville Bestie, to explore what separates unforgettable in-person events from forgettable networking mixers. Chasselle shares how she turned casual brunches with friends into one of Jacksonville's most recognizable community brands, why relationships matter more than transactions, and how businesses can use recurring in-person events to strengthen their brand, grow loyal audiences, and create genuine human connection. Whether you're in Talent Acquisition, HR, Marketing, Employer Branding, or you're building a business around community, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can apply immediately. What You'll Learn: How to use in-person community events as a long-term brand and business growth strategy Why recurring, scheduled events build real culture faster than one-off activations The professional harasser method for maximizing attendance without annoying your audience How to negotiate revenue splits with bars and venues to earn beyond ticket sales Why word of mouth still drives more growth than paid advertising What separates events that build community from ones that just fill a room How remembering names and personal details creates the belonging that keeps people coming back Resources Mentioned: Chasselle's Website: https://www.chasellegazelle.com Connect with Us: Connect with Chasselle: https://www.instagram.com/chasellegazelle/ Connect with Rhona: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce Want to turn your team into creators? Visit workfluencermedia.com to learn how we help companies build video-first content systems that attract, engage, and retain talent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices